Cargo tracking apparatus, system and method

ABSTRACT

A system for tracking a location of at least one item is described. The system includes a tag associated with the at least one item during a shipping journey. The tag detects shipping information, including temperature, humidity, shock, etc. The tag sends the shipping information to a master unit. The master unit also detects certain shipping information. The master unit communicates with a central processor to provide the shipping information to the central processor. The central processor relies on the shipping information to determine one of a condition or a location of the item.

CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/969,667, filed on Jan. 4, 2008, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns an apparatus, system, and method forautomatically tracking the worldwide location of letters, packages,parcels, cargo, and any other shipped item(s).

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

In the prior art, to track the location of a letter, package, or parcel,a shipper relies on bar code scanning at predetermined locations fromthe shipment origin to the destination. In many cases, the bar codeassociated with the letter, package, or parcel will be scanned at leastfour times: (1) at the shipment point, (2) at the shipment airport, (3)at the destination airport, and (4) at the final destination. As shouldbe readily apparent, there may be additional scanning options, such aswhen the parcel is placed on a truck, removed from a truck, or when itis sorted.

While this system has proven to be effective, there are at least twodeficiencies in the prior art. First, the prior art does not permit auser to determine the location of a parcel between instances when theparcel is scanned. Second, the exact location of a parcel in real timecannot be determined.

Moreover, in connection with scanning, misinformation may be generated.Consider the following example. A parcel is scanned at an airport. Theshipper concludes that the parcel has been placed on an airplane andthat the parcel is in transit to the destination airport. As it turnsout, however, the parcel has been placed on the wrong aircraft. Thiserror will not be discovered until the parcel is scanned at itsincorrect destination.

As the foregoing makes apparent, the prior art does not offer any meansby which the location of a parcel may be determined in real time, amongother deficiencies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention addresses several failings in the prior art by combininginteractive hardware and software that provides real time informationabout the location of a parcel without the need for scanning a barcodeor entering information about the parcel into a computer database.

From the standpoint of hardware, the invention includes a tag. In onecontemplated embodiment, the tag is an active transmitter and receiverand, as detailed below, may provide a variety of different types ofinformation including information to permit identification of a locationof the tag. In this regard, the signal provided by the tag may notinclude location information, but may be processed by the system todetermine the location of the parcel.

In one contemplated embodiment of the invention, the system includes amaster unit (“MU”) that is associated with one or more tags. As atransmitter and a receiver, the master unit communicates with the tagsand a central processor so that the location of the master unit and theassociated tags may be determined.

The signal from the master unit may be processed by any of a number ofdifferent receivers. Specifically, the invention contemplates relianceon at least three networks to assist in determining the location of aparcel. The three networks that may be used are: (1) a wireless localarea network (“WLAN”), commonly referred to as a “WiFi” network, (2) acellular network, such as a GPRS network, and (3) a satellitecommunications network. It is contemplated that any one (or more) ofthese three networks will receive information from the master unit atany given time.

The system of the invention also incorporates a GPS receiver in themaster unit so that terrestrial coordinate information may be receivedby the master unit. The GPS information is used by the central processorto determine the location of the master unit and, thereby, the tags andparcels associated with the master unit.

With respect to location determination, the GPS network is used toprovide terrestrial coordinates for the parcel. The cellular network isused for local triangulation within a specific geographic region. TheWiFi network is used to determine if the parcel is within the WiFinetwork and, therefore, will be able to provide a location within alocal region (i.e., within 100 feet or so) of the actual location of themaster unit, tag(s), and parcel(s).

The system recognizes that more than any one of these three networks maybe employed at any given time to provide information about the locationof a parcel. The system is designed to use the most cost-effectiveoption of the three, in a particular instance. For example, if theparcel is within a WiFi network, the WiFi location is probably thecheapest network to rely upon for location information. Accordingly, thesystem will default to a WiFi mode. If outside of a WiFi network, thesystem will rely on cellular network triangulation. If outside of acellular network, the system will default to the GPS network.

As a part of the invention, it is contemplated that a single tag may beapplied to each parcel or a single tag may be associated with aplurality of parcels. Where a single tag is associated with a pluralityof parcels, an additional cost savings is realized. It is expected thata single tag will be associated with a plurality of parcels in instanceswhere groups of parcels are being shipped to the same location. Also, asingle tag may be associated with groups of small parcels, such asletters or small boxes, especially in the instance where association ofa single tag to the small parcels may not be economically feasible orjustifiable.

It is noted that the master unit need not transmit solely informationthat may be interpreted to determine the location of the package. Thereare a number of additional types of information that may be provided bythe master unit and the tag.

For example, at present, it is not uncommon for a shipper to add a keytag to a parcel that provides some indication of shock, humidity,temperature, etc., with respect to a shipping condition of the parcelduring transit.

Currently-used temperature tags, for example, detect if a predeterminedtemperature is exceeded during transit. The tag provides an indicationif the parcel exceeded the temperature by changing color. Similarindicators are used for shock and for humidity.

Rather than relying on a separate key tag to provide information aboutconditions during transit of the parcel, the transmitting tag associatedwith the parcel and the master unit associated with a plurality of tagsmay include one or more sensors that detect one or more of theseparameters. The master unit and the tag may then transmit informationregarding one or more of these parameters during transit.

In connection with these specialized master units and tags, it iscontemplated that temperature, acceleration, shock, and humidity willencompass at least some of the measured parameters. Master units andtags, therefore, in addition to providing location information, willprovide one or more of these four additional types of information. Otherinformation types also may be transmitted.

Another aspect of the invention involves a “geofence.” A geofence is avirtual fence around a predefined area. For example, at an airport, thegeofence may be established around the shipper's area on the tarmac. Ifthe parcel leaves the geofence area, an alarm may be triggered tohighlight that the parcel has been removed from a properly-designatedarea. The geofence may be quite useful, especially in airport, where apallet containing a number of parcels might be picked up by accident andtransported to the wrong airplane.

In connection with the features described above, it is contemplated thatinformation from the master unit and the tags may be provided tosoftware accessible through the Internet. If so, it is contemplated thata shipper will have the ability to track the location of a parcel inreal time, thereby determining if the parcel has been routed properly toits destination.

To conserve battery power on the tag, the tag may be programmed to senta transmission once every 15 minutes or so. Of course, other timeperiods are also possible. The same parameters may apply to the masterunit.

In addition, the master unit may transmit data at different timeintervals depending upon the network in which the master unit isoperating. For example, at the WiFi level, the master unit may sendinformation more frequently. At this granular level, more frequentinformation may be a benefit. At the GPS level, however, frequenttransmission may not be needed. At the GPS level, one transmission perhour may be sufficient.

Since active transmitters on aircraft are currently prohibited, it iscontemplated that the system automatically will deactivate the masterunit and the tags after the parcels have been placed onto an aircraft.To track the parcels, if shipped by air, the system will track theaircraft beacon, thereby acquiring location information during transitfrom one airport to another. Once the aircraft lands at its destination,the master unit and the tags may be reactivated to resume functionalityas discussed above.

To deactivate the master unit and the tags on an aircraft, onecontemplated embodiment of the invention provides the master unit withan accelerometer. When the master unit senses an acceleration that isconsistent with an aircraft take off, the master unit will disablecommunication with the central processor and the tags. At the same time,the master unit will send signals to the tags to disable transmissionsfrom the tags. Upon sensing a deceleration consistent with an aircraftlanding, the master unit will re-enable communication for itself and forthe tags.

In connection with aircraft, it is believed that certain transmissionsmay eventually be permitted within or from an aircraft during flight.Accordingly, the invention also contemplates that the master unit andthe tags will continue to function while on board an aircraft.

With respect to the master unit, it is contemplated that the master unitmay function in much the same fashion as a CPU-based (a personalcomputer (“PC”)) unit or a personal data assistant (“PDA”)).

It is contemplated that the master unit may have up to 100 tagsassociated with it. The number “100” may be more or less, but isprovided merely as an example. The master unit is a communication hub inthis embodiment.

The master unit will accompany the freight from the point of origin tothe destination. In this embodiment, the tags transmit their respectiveinformation to the master unit, and the master unit transmits the datafor all of the associated tags and any additional information to thecentral database.

By relying on a master unit, the tags do not need to produce strongtransmission signals. In fact, the signals may be quite “weak” since themaser unit is expected to remain in close proximity to the parcels andthe individual tags. In this embodiment, the tags may be simplified,because they do not need to include large capacity batteries.

In yet another contemplated embodiment, an external processor may beprovided. The external processor may be a portable unit. For example,the external processor may be a hand-held PDA. The user of the PDA maybe able to access the information from the master unit by accessingfunctions on the PDA. The transfer of information from the master unitto the PDA may be via a wired or a wireless connection. If theconnection is wireless, the communication may be via a Bluetooth signal,infrared signal, or other.

With respect to the external processor, it is contemplated that theexternal processor also may include a barcode scanner. As a result, whenthe parcel is scanned, the external processor might request informationbe transmitted from the master unit to the external processor regardingthe particular parcel.

Other aspects of the invention will be made apparent from thedescription that follows and will be appreciated by those skilled in theart.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in connection with the drawings appendedhereto, in which:

FIG. 1 is a an overview of the tracking system according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating three components of the trackingsystem of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a GPS receivercontemplated for incorporation into the master unit that forms a part ofthe tracking system of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a WiFi modulecontemplated for incorporation into the master unit that forms a part ofthe tracking system of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a GPRS modem contemplatedfor incorporation into the master unit that forms a part of the trackingsystem of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a radio contemplated forincorporation into the master unit and the tag that form parts of thetracking system of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a signal microcontrollercontemplated for incorporation into the master unit and the tag thatform parts of the tracking system of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an accelerometercontemplated for incorporation into the master unit and the tag thatform parts of the tracking system of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an altimeter contemplatedfor incorporation into the master unit that forms a part of the trackingsystem of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a temperature sensorcontemplated for incorporation into the master unit and the tag thatform a part of the tracking system of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a shock sensorcontemplated for incorporation into the tag that forms a part of thetracking system of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating the design of the master unitillustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating an alternative contemplatedembodiment of the master unit that forms a part of the tracking systemof the invention;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating another variation of the masterunit that forms a part of the tracking system of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating one contemplated method associatedwith operation of the tracking system of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a first part of a flow chart illustrating another methodcontemplated for use in association, with the tracking system of theinvention; and

FIG. 17 is the second part of a flow chart illustrating another methodcontemplated for use in association, with the tracking system of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION

Various aspects of the invention will now be described. As should beappreciated by those skilled in the art, a discussion of a particularembodiment of the invention should not be understood as a limitation onthe scope of the invention. The various embodiments discussed herein aremeant to be exemplary. There are numerous equivalents and variations onthe embodiments discussed herein that are intended to be encompassed bythe invention, as should be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Before discussing specific details of the invention, a broadintroduction is provided.

The tracking system 10 of the invention is broadly illustrated inFIG. 1. The tracking system includes a transportation vehicle 12. Thetransportation vehicle 12 may include a truck (as shown), a railway car,an ocean-going ship, an airplane, or any other suitable alternative.While a truck is illustrated in FIG. 1, the invention is not meant to belimited solely to transportation of parcels via highways. As will bemade apparent from the discussion herein, international shipping isintended to fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, cargoships and airplanes also are intended to fall within the scope of theterm “transportation vehicle” 12. Other transportation vehicles areintended to fall within the scope of this term, although these othertransportation vehicles are not specifically enumerated herein.

The transportation vehicle 12 is expected to contain one or more parcels14. With respect to the use of the term “parcel”, this term is intendedto broadly encompass any item selected for shipment from a startlocation to a final location. These items may include, but are notlimited to letters, packages, boxes, crates, parcels, shippingcontainers, pallets, equipment, etc. As used herein, the term “parcel”is intended to encompass any item that is shipped from a point of originto a destination. While it is expected in most instances that more thanone parcel 14 will be placed within one transportation vehicle 12, it ispossible that only one parcel 14 may be placed into one transportationvehicle 12, especially in cases where the parcel is a large object. Forexample, if an industrial bulldozer was to be shipped, it may constitutethe only parcel 14 in or on the shipping vehicle 12.

In the illustrated embodiment, a tag 16 is associated with the group ofparcels 14. One tag 16 may be affixed to each of the parcelsindividually or the tag 16 may be associated with a plurality of parcels14. As is detailed below, the tag 16 is a receiver and transmitter ofelectromagnetic signals, including radio signals. In one contemplatedembodiment, the tag 16 may be a transmitter only, as may be appropriatefor a given shipping environment.

The tag 16 transmits and/or receives signals, via a one-way or a two-waycommunication link 18 to a master unit (“MU”) 20. The master unit 20, inturn, transmits and receives signals via one or more communication links22, 24 to at least one of a tower 26 and/or a satellite 28. The tower 26and/or the satellite 28, in turn, transmit and receive signals viacommunication links 30, 32 to a central processor 34. Details concerningeach of these components are provided in greater detail below. However,as an overview, the following generalizations are presented.

The tag 16 transmits at least one from several possible signalsconcerning the parcel or parcels 14 with which the tag 16 is associated.For example, the tag 16 may transmit identifying information about theparcels 14. The identifying information may include content information,point of origin, destination information, and name and contactinformation for the shipper and the recipient, for example. As may beappreciated by those skilled in the art, the identifying informationalso may encompass a broad range of additional invoice information thatmay be applicable for inspection by customs officials. Other identifyinginformation also may be included, and the invention is not intended tobe limited to the small number of examples provided herein.

The tag 16 also may include various sensors. For example, the tag 16 maydetect specific shipping-related parameters including, but not limitedto, humidity, temperature, acceleration rate(s), shocks, and/or othertypes of information germane to a particular shipping environment. Theseshipping parameters are broadly referred to as “shipping information”herein. Once detected, the shipping information may be stored by the tag16 and transmitted to the master unit 20 on a continuous or anintermitted basis. It is contemplated that, to conserve battery power,the shipping information will be transmitted by the tag 16 on anintermittent basis, e.g., every 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, halfhour, hour, etc. The tag 16 is contemplated to act as a mini-“flightrecorder” during transit of the parcel from the point of origin to thedestination. In this way, the tag 16 is contemplated to provide acontinuous record of the parcel's journey from start to finish. Whilethe tag 16 will include nonvolatile memory, that memory may not besufficiently large to save all of the shipping information generated forthe parcels 14. As such, the tag 16 is expected to transmit its shippinginformation to the master unit 20 to clear memory space for additionalinformation during transit. Of course, if the shipment distance is short(and the time associated with the shipment is short), the tag 16 mayhave sufficient memory space to retain all of the shipping informationgenerated for the parcels 14.

The master unit 20 is contemplated to be local to a group of the tags16. In the illustrated example, one master unit 20 may be positioned inthe transportation vehicle 12. The master unit 20 will then receivetransmissions from each of the tags 16 located within the transportationvehicle 12 and transmit shipping information to the central processor34. As with the tags 16, the master unit 20 may be in continuouscommunication with the central processor 34 or may be in intermittentcontact therewith. As with the tags 16, it is contemplated thatintermittent contact will be relied upon to conserve power consumed bythe master unit 20. As should be immediately apparent to those skilledin the art, however, the master unit 20 is less likely to be constrainedby power limitations because of its placement on the transportationvehicle 12. In this arrangement, the transportation vehicle 12 maysupply power to the master unit 20 on a continuous or an intermittentbasis to assure proper functioning of the master unit 20. Separately,where the master unit 20 is not provided with an independent powersource, it is contemplated that the battery capacity of the master unit20 will be sufficient for recording shipping information for severaldays, thereby capturing shipping information for long duration shippinginstances.

Since the individual tags 16 are unlikely to be provided with largememory units, the master unit 20 is contemplated to be the repositoryfor information generated by the individual tags 16. In this context,therefore, the master unit 20 is contemplated to act as the “flightrecorder” for the plurality of parcels with which it is associated. Themaster unit 20 will, therefore, receive and store a complete history ofthe transit conditions for each of the parcels 14 within its monitoringpurview.

In an alternative arrangement, it is contemplated that the master unit20 may be associated with a group of parcels 14 without being positionedwithin the transportation vehicle 12. In this contemplated embodiment,the master unit 20 may be associated with a pallet of parcels 14 thatare placed within the transportation vehicle 12. The master unit 20 willoperate in the same fashion as discussed above.

The tower 26, which receives shipping information from and sends signalsto the master unit 16, may be any type of electromagnetic signalreceiver/transmitter. In one contemplated embodiment, the tower 26 is aterrestrial radio tower or equivalent. In another contemplatedembodiment, the tower 26 is a terrestrial microwave tower or equivalent.The type of signal transmission may be analog or digital, as should beappreciated by those skilled in the art. Moreover, the actual type ofelectromagnetic signals being used is not important to the operation ofthe invention. To the contrary, the invention is intended to encompassany type of electromagnetic signals. The satellite 28 is contemplated toone in Earth orbit. Like the tower 26, the satellite 28 may receive andtransmit any type of electromagnetic signals.

The central processor 34 is contemplated to be positioned at a locationwhere coordination of shipping occurs. Of course, as should beappreciated by those skilled in the art, the central processor 34 may bephysically positioned in any suitable location without departing fromthe scope of the invention. The central processor 34 may be a personalcomputer, a main frame computer, a personal data assistant, or any otheralternative or variation thereof. As may be appreciated by those skilledin the art, the central processor 34 need not be of any particular type.In addition, it is noted that the central processor 34 need not be asingle processor but may include a plurality of processors networkedtogether, via wired or wireless communication links.

With respect to the communication links 18, 22, 24, 30, 32, any suitablelink may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.The different types of links may include, but are not limited to, wiredor wireless links, radio links, electromagnetic links, cellular networklinks, global positioning system (“GPS”) links, Bluetooth links,personal area network (“PAN”) links, WiFi links, local area networklinks, or any variation(s) thereon. It is contemplated that the trackingsystem 10 of the invention will operate in the general manner discussedbelow. Of course, there are an unlimited number of variations that maybe employed without departing from the scope of the invention.

With respect to the communication link 18 between the tags 16 and themaster unit 20, this link 18 is expected to be of ageographically-limited nature. For example, the tags 16 are not expectedto exceed a distance of 100 feet or so from the master unit 20.Accordingly, the tags 16 do not need exceptionally strong transmittersand/or receivers to communicate with the master unit 20. As such, thetags 16 may communicate with the master unit 20 via a suitable localtransmission like a WiFi network (“WiFi” is a term used for wirelesstechnology based on IEEE 802.11 standards, which encompass wirelesslocal area networks (“WLANs”)), a generic wireless local area network(“WLAN”), a local area network (“LAN”), and/or a Bluetooth connection(or a suitable equivalent). “Bluetooth” is a term understood in the artand is intended to be generic to wireless personal area networks(“PANs”) and their equivalents. Signals to and from master units 20 viathe communication links 22, 24, on the other hand, are required totraverse much larger distances. As a result, these signals arecontemplated to occur over communication lines including cellularnetworks and satellite networks, or the like. Signals passing from thetower 26 and/or the satellite 28 are contemplated to be made acrosssimilar transmission channels.

With respect to the tracking system 10 of the invention, it iscontemplated that the master unit 20 may include some of thefunctionality described above with respect to the tags 16, at least incertain configurations. In the case where the master unit 20 isassociated with a group of parcels 14 on a pallet, for example, themaster unit 20 may include one or more sensors to detect parameters suchas humidity, temperature, acceleration, shock, etc. As such, the tags 16need not include sensors to detect one or more of the shippingparameters. Alternatively, both the master unit 20 and the tags 16 mayinclude sensors to detect shipping parameters associated with theparcels 14. In such an arrangement, both the master unit 20 and the tags16 will collect information concerning the shipping parameters,providing redundancy and, therefore, greater reliability in the data.

While it is contemplated that the tracking system 10 of the inventionwill be employed on a global scale, it is possible that the trackingsystem 10 may be employed only on a local scale. For example, thetracking system 10 may be employed at a warehouse. In such a case, onlytags 16 and master units 20 may be employed without the need for one ormore towers 26 and/or satellites 28.

FIG. 2 provides a high-level electrical schematic for the trackingsystem 10 of the invention. This electrical schematic illustratesfeatures of the master unit 20, an external processor 78, and one tag16.

With reference to the tag 16, the unit includes a battery compartment36. While FIG. 2 indicates that the battery compartment may contain 2“AA”-style batteries, the invention is intended to encompass any othersuitable battery arrangements, whether disposable or rechargeable. Thebattery(ies) supply power to the signal microcontroller 38 and othercomponents.

The microcontroller/processor 38 is connected to debug indicator 40. Thedebug indicator 40 may include a small display screen or one or morelight emitting diodes (“LEDs”) that provide an indication of the statusof the tag 16. For example, the debug indicator 40 may include severalLEDs to display the level of the battery charge. Also, a display or oneor more LEDs may be employed to indicate a malfunction or other error.Other indications also may be provided for, as should be appreciated bythose skilled in the art.

The microcontroller 38 also is connected to a radio 42, which preparesthe data from the processor 38 for transmission to the master unit 20.The radio 42, in turn, is connected to an antenna 44. The antenna 44 maybe internal to the tag 16 or may be external, as should be appreciatedby those skilled in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, the radio 42and antenna 44 generate signals at a 2.4 GHz frequency. While thisparticular frequency is contemplated for the invention, those skilled inthe art should appreciate that any other frequency may be employedwithout departing from the scope of the invention.

One or more sensors may be associated with the microcontroller 38. Thesensors may include a humidity sensor 46, an accelerometer 48, and atemperature sensor 50, among others. In FIG. 2, the temperature sensor50 is illustrated as a part of the processor 38. However, as should beappreciated by those skilled in the art, this arrangement is notrequired. The temperature sensor 50 may be included as a part of thesensor suite 52.

In FIG. 2, the sensor suite 52 also includes three additional items, apeak hold circuit 54, a shock sensor 56 (also referred to as a peakdetector), and an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory(“EEPROM”) 58, which is a non-volatile, storage chip used in computersand other devices to store small amounts of volatile data, e.g.,calibration tables or device configurations. With the EEPROM, othersuitable memory types may be used including, but not limited to a flashmemory.

The shock sensor 56 is provided to detect unfavorable impactsexperienced by the tag 16. With respect to the peak hold circuit 54,this circuit is intended to retain the peak read by the shock sensor 56until the microcontroller 38 reads that information.

The master unit 20 includes a battery charge circuit 60. The batterycharge circuit 60 is connectable to an external power supply 62. Asshould be apparent, the external power supply 62 may be connected to thebattery charge circuit 60 to charge the battery 64. Alternatively, themaster unit 20 may be powered by disposable batteries, as may berequired by the tracking system 10. Since the master unit 20 is intendedto operate independently of a continuous power source, the power supply62 is intended to be separable from the master unit 20. The batteryprovides power to any of a number of electronic components in the masterunit 20 including, among them, a power distributor 66. The powerdistributor 66 may be connected to a input/output circuit 68.

The input/output circuit 68 may include a number of input connectorsincluding a power input port 70 for the external power supply 62. Theinput/output circuit also may include a manual power switch 72 toprovide manual control over the master unit 20. In FIG. 2, theinput/output circuit 68 also includes a universal serial bus (“USB”)port 74. As may be appreciated by those skilled in the art, more thanone USB port 74 may be provided depending on the requirements of thetracking system 10. Also included in the input/output circuit 68 is apower indicator 76. The power indicator 76 may include a display or aseries of LEDs that indicate the current status of the power level ofthe battery (or batteries) 64 in the master unit 20.

The USB port 74 may be provided to interface with an external processor78. The external processor 78 may be a personal computer, a personaldata assistant (“PDA”) or other suitable alternative, whether portableor not. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the external processor 78 includes twoUSB ports 80, 82. In the illustrated example, the USB port 80 isconnected to the USB port 74 to permit the external processor 78 tocommunicate directly with the master unit 20 via a wired communicationlink 84. This communication link 84 may be used to supply data to themaster unit 20 or retrieve data from the master unit 20, as necessary.In addition, the communication link 84 may be used to program the masterunit 20 with information specific to a particular shipment.

The external processor 78 also includes components to communicatewirelessly with the central processor 34, the master unit 20, or otherdevices including the tags 16. As shown, the external processor mayinclude a USB port 86 into which a radio dongle 88 is inserted. Theradio dongle 88 includes an antenna 90 for wireless communication. Theexternal processor 78 also includes a WiFi port 92 to which a WiFiantenna 94 is connected. As may be appreciated by those skilled in theart, the WiFi antenna 94 and the radio antenna 90 may be incorporatedalternatively into the external processor 78 without departing from thescope of the invention.

While not illustrated, the external processor 78 also may include abarcode scanner. If included, the barcode scanner may read one or morebarcodes on the parcels 14 in conjunction with communicating with themaster unit 20. In addition, the external processor 78 may be configuredto communicate with one or more of the tags 16.

Returning to the discussion of the master unit 20, the master unit 20also includes a single board computer (“SBC”) 94, which controls andcoordinates the operation of the master unit 20. While an SBC may beemployed for the master unit 20, other variations and equivalents may beemployed without departing from the scope of the invention. Severalcomponents may be associated with the SBC 94. In connection with FIGS.12-14, three contemplated arrangements for the master unit 20 arediscussed. The arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2 is but one of thecontemplated variations for the master unit 20.

As discussed above, the master unit 20 may include one or more sensorsto detect shipping parameters and generate data associated therewith. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the master unit 20 includes a temperaturesensor 96, an altimeter 98, and an accelerometer 100. These may be thesame types of sensors included in the tags 16 or they may differ fromthe sensors included in the tags 16. Data generated by the sensors isstored for transmission by the master unit 20. As may be appreciated bythose skilled in the art, an altimeter may be included only in thosemaster units 20 that are adapted for use on aircraft. If the master unit20 is to be used only for parcels 14 being shipped via groundtransportation, an altimeter 98 may be excluded without departing fromthe scope of the invention. It is noted that an altimeter 98 may not beused when the parcels 14 are placed in a pressurized cargo hold of anaircraft, as should be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The master unit 20 in FIG. 2 also includes a GPS receiver 102 connectedto an antenna 104. Accordingly, GPS information may be received andstored by the master unit 20. As should be appreciated by those skilledin the art, the GPS receiver 102 only receives GPS data. Informationwirelessly transmitted by the master unit 20 may be routed via one ofseveral different routes within the master unit 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the master unit 20 includes a general packet radioservice (“GPRS”) modem 106, connected to an antenna 108, and a satellitecommunication modem 110 connected to an antenna 112. A switch 114 isprovided so that the SBC may select between the GPRS modem 106 and thesatellite communication modem 110 depending on the communication linkrequired for a particular shipping environment. When the master unit 20is located within a cellular network, for example, the master unit 20will access the GPRS modem 106. When the master unit 20 is outside of acellular network, the master unit 20 will access the satellitecommunication modem 110. Alternatively, the master unit 20 will accesseither one of the modems 106, 110 if communication strength with one ofthe communication networks is stronger than the other.

It is noted that a GPRS modem 106 is but one of several different modemsthat may be selected for use with the invention. Other systems relyingon CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, EDGE, 3G, and 4G formats, etc., may also beemployed without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover,the GPRS modem 106 may incorporate functionality to interface with thelocal cellular network regardless of the data transmission format.

As also shown in FIG. 2, the master unit 20 includes a WiFi module 114,a radio 116, a mixed signal controller 118, an antenna switch 120, andan antenna 122. The WiFi module 114 permits communication with a localWiFi network as opposed to a GPRS network or a satellite communicationsnetwork. The radio 116 and the mixed signal controller 118 permitcommunication between the master unit 20 and one or more of the tags 16.It is noted that the radio 116 and the mixed signal controller 118 arethe same as the radio 42 and the mixed signal controller 38 in the tag16 that is illustrated in FIG. 2. Of course, the components need not bethe same to practice the invention. The switch 120 permits access to theantenna 122 by either the WiFi module 114 or the radio 116, as may berequired for operation of the master unit 20.

Antennas 108, 112, and 122 are provided in the master unit 20 tocommunicate with the central processor 34 via one or more communicationprotocols 124.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the GPS receiver 102 that is illustrated inFIG. 2. The GPS receiver 102 that is illustrated is commerciallyavailable from u-blox (u-blox America, Inc., 1902 Campus Commons Drive,Suite 310, Reston, Va. 20191, USA) under the identifying number LEA-4H.It should be noted that this particular GPS receiver 102 is not requiredto practice the invention. This is but one possible embodimentcontemplated for use with the invention. Since the circuitry of the GPSreceiver 102 is not important to the tracking system 10 of theinvention, a discussion is not presented here. With respect to the GPSreceiver 102, it is contemplated that the GPS receiver 102 will besensitive enough to pick up even a weak GPS signal (i.e., −155 dBm),thereby assuring capture of location information even in remotelocations.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for the WiFi module 114. The illustrated WiFimodule 114 is commercially available from DPAC (Quatech, Inc., A DPACTechnologies Company, 5675 Hudson Industrial Parkway, Hudson, Ohio44236, USA) under the identifying number WLNB-AN-DP102. It should benoted that this particular WiFi module 114 is not required to practicethe invention as any alternative may be employed without departing fromthe scope of the invention. The illustration of this particular modelfor the WiFi module 114 is intended to be exemplary only. Since thecircuitry of the WiFi module 114 is not important to the operation ofthe invention, it is not discussed herein.

It is contemplated that the master unit 20 will communicate with awireless LAN when the master unit 20 is within range of the wirelessLAN. Since the invention is intended for international use, the WiFimodule 114 should be selected to comply with international standards. Ofcourse, master units 20 for local shipping environments (i.e., theUnited States only) are also contemplated and are intended to fallwithin the scope of the invention.

While a block diagram is not provided, the satellite communicationmodule 110 may be selected from any one of a number of different,commercially-available products. In one contemplated embodiment, themaster unit 10 may incorporate the 9601 SBD model available from IridiumSatellite LLC, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 300, Bethesda, Md. 20817,USA. Of course, this particular model is not required to practice theinvention, as should be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The master unit 20 will communicate via the satellite communicationmodule 110 when the master unit 20 is within range of a satellitenetwork. As will be discussed in greater detail below, the master unit20 will communicate with the satellite network when either the GPRSnetwork or the wireless LAN is not available. For shipping purposes, themaster unit 20 will not interface with any of the satellite network, theGPRS network, or the wireless LAN when the master unit 20 is placed onboard an aircraft. At present, wireless communications on board aircraftare not permitted. Should these regulations change, however, the masterunit 20 may remain active during flight. Separately, where real timeinformation is desired for tracking parcels 14 in flight, the trackingsystem 10 of the invention may be designed to access the flight beaconfor the aircraft and to track the location of the aircraft, rather thanthe mater unit 20.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the GPRS modem 106 shown in FIG. 2. Theblock diagram provided in FIG. 5 is specifically for a product made bySiemens (Siemens AG, Wittelsbacherplatz 2, D-80333 Munich, Germany)under the product identifier TC63. As with others of the componentsdiscussed herein, this particular model for the GPRS modem 106 is merelyexemplary. It is not required to practice the invention and any of anumber of other suitable alternatives may be employed without departingfrom the scope of the invention. As a result, the specific details ofthe circuitry provided in FIG. 5 are not discussed herein.

The GPRS modem 106 is intended to communicate via a GPRS cellular towireless network at least with quadband capability. As noted above, theGPRS modem 106 may include functionality to interface with othernetworks. Moreover, equivalents to the GPRS modem 106 may be usedwithout departing from the scope of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the radio module 42, 116. This particularblock diagram presents a circuit overview for a radio available fromTexas Instruments (Texas Instruments, 12500 TI Boulevard, Dallas, Tex.75243, USA) under the product code CC2500. This particular model ofradio is not required to practice the invention but is merely presentedas one contemplated embodiment for the invention. Since the details ofthe circuitry are not required to practice the invention, details arenot discussed herein. As should be apparent to those skilled in the art,any other radio may be employed without departing from the scope of theinvention.

The radio module 42, 116 in the illustrated embodiment is a 2.4 GHzradio that permits communication between the master unit 20 and the tags16. In one contemplated embodiment, the radio module 42, 116 willoperate one four separate frequencies so that if a link is lost betweenone of the tags 16 and the master unit 20, the wireless link may bereestablished via another of the frequencies available to the tag 16 andthe master unit 20.

In connection with this aspect of the invention, the master unit 20 andthe tag 16 are contemplated to include functionality so that ifcommunication between a master unit 20 and a tag 16 is lost, the masterunit 20 will generate an alarm. This function may be used to generate a“geofence” in association with the master unit 20. Specifically, themaster unit 20 will keep track of the tags 16 that are within thetransmission distance of the radio module 116. If a tag 16 is removedfrom the transmission area associated with the master unit 20, themaster unit 20 will trigger an alarm. In this arrangement, the masterunit 20 is used to prevent parcels 14 from being moved to an incorrecttransportation vehicle 12, for example. In this arrangement, the masterunit 20 also may prevent theft of parcels 14, as may be appreciated bythose skilled in the art.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the radio microcontroller 38, 118illustrated in FIG. 2. This particular radio microcontroller 38, 118 iscommercially available from Texas Instruments under the productidentifier MSP430F2232, as indicated in the drawing. This particularmicrocontroller is not required to practice the invention but ispresented merely as one contemplated embodiment. As such, the specificsof the circuitry are note discussed herein. Moreover, as should beclear, other microcontrollers may be employed without departing from thescope of the invention.

The microcontroller 118 provides an interface between the SBC 94 and theradio module 116 in the master unit 20. The microcontroller 38 alsoprovides an interface with the radio module 42 in the tag 16. Themicrocontroller 38, 118 provides an algorithm to control the 2.4 GHzradio module 42, 116 so that the master unit 20 and the tag 16 maycommunicate periodically with one another.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an accelerometer 48, 100 contemplated foruse with the master unit 20 and the tag 16. FIG. 8 is a block diagram ofan accelerometer available from VTI Technologies (VTI Technologies Oy,Myllynkivenkuja 6, 01620 Vantaa, Finland) under the product codeSCA3000-D01. This particular accelerometer is detailed to illustrate onecontemplated embodiment of the invention and is, therefore, not meant tobe limiting of the invention. Since the illustrated accelerometer 48,100 is exemplary only, a detailed discussion of the circuit diagram isomitted. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that any of anumber of different accelerometers may be employed without departingfrom the scope of the invention.

The accelerometer 48, 100 is contemplated to detect acceleration of themaster unit 20 and the tag 16. Acceleration measurements may be madeduring takeoff and landing of an aircraft, for example. Theaccelerometer 48, 100 may detect acceleration in three dimensions. Theaccelerometer 48, 100 is expected to interface with the master unit 20.Upon detecting a takeoff, the master unit 20 will cease transmissionfunctions until a landing deceleration is detected. Once the landingdeceleration is detected, the master unit 20 will resume it normalfunction. In connection with this function, the master unit 20 willdisable and enable transmissions to and from the tags 16 during flight.In this way, the master unit 20 and the tags 16 will not transmitsignals while in flight, thereby complying with applicable flightregulations.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of one altimeter 98 contemplated for use withthe master unit 20. The altimeter 98 diagrammed is commercially fromHope Microelectronics (a.k.a., HopeRF Microelectronics) (HopeMicroelectronics Co., Ltd, also doing business as Shenzhen Huiyee HopeElectronics Co., Ltd, Rm. T2-8B, Emperor Regency Bldg., 6012 ShenNanRd., Futian, ShenZhen, GuangDong 518034, China). The altimeter 98 shownis merely exemplary of one commercially-available altimeter 98 that iscontemplated for incorporation into the master unit 20 of the invention.Since the exact details of the altimeter 98 are not required to practicethe invention, an exhaustive description of the altimeter 98 is notprovided herein. As should be apparent to those skilled in the art, anysuitable alternative altimeter 98 may be employed without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

FIG. 10 presents one contemplated embodiment for the temperature sensor50, 96 incorporated into the tag 16 or the master unit 20. The circuitdiagram provided is for a temperature sensor 50, 96 that is commerciallyavailable from National Semiconductor Corporation (2900 SemiconductorDr., P.O. Box 58090, Santa Clara, Calif. 95052-8090, USA) under theproduct descriptor code LM92. Since the exact details of the temperaturesensor 50, 96 are unimportant to the operation of the tag 16 or themaster unit 20, further discussion of the diagram is not made herein. Asshould be apparent to those skilled in the art, any other temperaturesensor 50, 96 may be employed without departing from the scope of theinvention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a shock sensor 56 contemplated for usewith the tag 16. The shock sensor 56 is commercially available fromFreescale Semiconductor, Inc. (Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., 6501 WWilliam Cannon Dr, Austin, Tex. 78735-8523, USA) under the product codeMMA7261QT. This particular shock sensor is not required to practice thepresent invention. Accordingly, a detailed discussion of the specificsof the components is not included in this discussion. As noted withrespect to others of the components provided as examples, thisparticular shock sensor 56 is not required to practice the presentinvention. The shock sensor 56 detects shocks experienced duringtransit, thereby permitting evaluation if the parcels 14 have beendropped, for example, during transit. There are numerous equivalents andvariations that may be employed in its stead without departing from thescope of the invention.

FIGS. 12-14 provide three alternative approaches to the design of themaster controller. FIG. 12 illustrates a master controller based on anSBC. This is the same design provided in FIG. 2. FIG. 13 illustrates amicrocontroller approach to the design of the master unit. FIG. 14offers a computer on module approach to the master unit. Each of thesethree approaches will now be discussed.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram outlining the design of the master unit 20,which is illustrated in great detail in FIG. 2. The master unit 20 isbased on an SBC approach, as discussed above. In this approach, the SBCincludes two parts: (1) a processor board, which contains all of thefunctionality of the serial interfaces (i.e., UART, SBI, USB, etc.), and(2) a carrier board, which brings connectors to the periphery of theprocessor board. These connectors include, but are not limited to, USB,VGA, Ethernet, PS/2, and others.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram outlining the design of a master unit 130using a microcontroller-based architecture. In this design, a printedcircuit board contains all of the peripheral modules and a hostmicrocontroller 132. It is contemplated that the microcontroller may beprovided by Atmel (Atmel Corporation, 2325 Orchard Parkway, San Jose,Calif. 95131, USA) under the product descriptor AT91SAM9260. Of course,any other microcontroller may be employed without departing from thescope of the invention. The microcontroller 132 communicates with thesensors and the communication modules and includes memory for datastorage. Flash and SDRAM memories may be provided, as would beappreciated by those skilled in the art.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram that illustrates the third contemplatedembodiment for the master unit 134. This embodiment is based on aComputer-on-Module (“CoM”) architecture. In this approach, the masterunit 134 includes a board connector 136 and a CoM board 138. In thisembodiment, cabling between the CoM and the peripherals may be largelyeliminated, unlike in the master unit 20 based on the SBC.

FIG. 15 provides a high-level flow chart outlining one contemplatedmethod associated with the operation of the tracking system 10 of theinvention. The tracking method 136 begins at 138 and includes threeprimary sections, a pre-transit portion 140, a transit portion 142, anda post-transit portion 144. The method ends at 146.

The pre-transit portion 140 of the tracking method 136 includes threesub-portions: (1) the master units 20 are prepared at 148, (2) the tags16 are prepared at 150, and (3) the tags 16 are checked at 152.

Referring to 148, the master units 20 are prepared in the pre-transitportion 140 by charging the batteries 64 and downloading configurationparameters and IDs for the associated tags 16 via the external processor78. Concerning the configuration parameters, it is noted that the masterunit 20 may be configured for each shipment. For example, some shipmentsmay include collection of humidity information while others do not. As aresult, the master units 20 for each of these shipments may beconfigured differently for each of the shipments. In the alternative,both shipments may be configured in the same manner. At the conclusionof the shipment where humidity information is not required, theinformation may be deleted altogether.

At 150, the tags 16 are prepared for shipment. To prepare the tags 16,batteries are installed in the battery compartment 36 to assure that thetags 16 have a sufficiently large charge to operate for the entireduration of the shipment. Once the batteries are installed, the tags 16may initiate communication with the master unit 20. Since theconfiguration parameters have been loaded into the master unit 20 at148, relevant instructions may be forwarded to the tags 16 from themaster unit 20.

At 152, tag communications are checked and a pre-transit report isgenerated. Once the tags 16 become active, the master unit 20 willcommunicate with each of the tags to assure that a communication link 18may be established between them. If all of the communication links 18are successful, then the master unit 20 and the tags 16 may proceed tothe transit portion 142 of the method 136.

The transit portion 142 of the method 136 includes two sub-parts: (1) atag operational portion 154, and (2) a master unit operational portion156. The tag operational portion 154 involves two operations. First, thetag 16 collects and stores sensor data. Second, the tag uploadsinformation to the master unit 20 upon receiving a request from themaster unit 20 to do so. After uploading information to the master unit20, the tag 16 will clear its internal memory so that there issufficient space for additional data. The master unit operationalportion 156 includes four operations. First, the master unit 20 checksfor GPS data when the master unit 20 is not on board an aircraft. If themaster unit 20 is on board an aircraft, the master unit 20 will havealready provided notice to the central processor 34 or the trackingserver so that the tracking system 10 will track the aircraft beaconrather than searching for signals from the master unit 20. The masterunit 20 will initiate periodic requests for shipping information fromthe associated tags 16. As noted above, the tags 16 provide the shippinginformation in response to such a request. This request is made if themaster unit 20 and the tags 16 are not on board an aircraft. If themaster unit 20 and the tags 16 are on board an aircraft, this functionis disabled until after the aircraft lands. Third, the master unit 20will initiate periodic contact with the central processor 34 or thetracking server if the master unit 20 is not on board an aircraft. Ifthe master unit 20 is on board an aircraft, the master unit 20 willdisable this function until after the aircraft lands. Fourth, inconnection with initiating contact with the central processor 34 ortracking server, the master unit will upload shipping information fromits memory to the central processor 34, thereby clearing memory spacefor additional shipping information.

The post-transit portion 144 of the method 136 includes two sub-parts:(1) a master unit shut-down phase 158, and (2) a tag shut-down phase160. In the master unit shut-down phase 158, the master unit 20 isrecovered from the group of parcels 14 and is connected to the externalprocessor 78. The external processor 78 may recover any additionalinformation from the master unit 20 that was not previously transmittedto the central processor 34. In addition, the external processor 78 mayprovide instructions for the master unit 20 to cease operation. Inaddition, the external processor 78 may execute a diagnostic program toanalyze the current condition of the master unit 20 and provide areport. The report may indicate, for example, if the master unit 20 isfunctional and ready for a subsequent shipment. Concerning the tagshout-down phase 160, the tag 16 is recovered from the parcels 14 andthe batteries are removed so that the tag 16 ceases operation.

Reference is now made to FIG. 16, which provides a flow diagram for amethod of operation of the invention.

The method 162 begins at 164. At 166, the method 162 includes tagging atleast one item, such as a parcel 14, with a tag 16. At 168, a shippingparameter is measured by the tag 16 for the parcel 14. At 170, the tag16 generates tag shipping data based upon the shipping parameter. At172, the tag 16 transmits the tag shipping data to the master unit 20.At 174, the master unit 20 receives the tag shipping data from the tag16. At 176, the master unit 20 stores the tag shipping data in memoryassociated with the master unit 20. Reference number 178 indicates thatthe method 162 continued to FIG. 17.

With reference to FIG. 17, the method 162 continues at 180, where themaster unit 20 measures shipping information. The master unit 20 thengenerates master unit shipping data that is also stored in the memory ofthe master unit together with the tag shipping data at 184.Periodically, the master unit transmits the shipping data to the centralprocessor 34, which step is identified at 186. From the shipping data,the central processor 34 determines wither a location of the parcel 14or a condition of the parcel 14. This may be repeated at several pointsduring the shipping journey.

As may be appreciated from the foregoing, the master unit 20 alsoreceives GPS data via the GPS receiver 102. The data from the GPSreceiver 102 becomes a part of the master unit shipping data that istransmitted to the central processor 34. This data permits the centralprocessor to determine, in real time, the location of the parcels 14.

For the invention, it is contemplated that the central processor 34 willcalculate the location of the master unit 20 and the tags 16 (andassociated parcels 14) based on one or more of the various inputsdiscussed above. While this functionality is contemplated to bededicated to the central processor 34, the master unit 16 also mayinclude this functionality.

The central processor 34 is contemplated to be connected with theInternet. As a result, the central processor 34 may be accessed by ashipper and/or a recipient to track the location of the parcels 14during shipment. Since the master unit 20 provides periodic shippinginformation during transit, the central processor 34 may provide thisinformation to the shipper and/or the recipient. As a result, it ispossible for the shipper and/or the recipient to locate one or moreparcels 14 at any point during transit from the shipping origin to thedestination.

As noted above, those skilled in the art should readily appreciate thatthere are equivalents and variations of the embodiments discussed abovethat may be practiced while remaining within the scope of the instantinvention. Those equivalents and embodiments are intended to beencompassed hereby.

1. A system for tracking a location of at least one item, comprising: atag being shipped with the at least one item during a shipping journeyfrom a point of origin to a destination, wherein the tag comprises: atag sensor to sense at least one shipping parameter during the shippingjourney and to generate tag shipping data at least for a portion of theshipping journey, a tag memory in communication with the tag sensor tostore the tag shipping data, a tag radio in communication with the tagmemory to transmit the tag shipping data, wherein tag radio wirelesscommunication is disabled when the at least one item is disposed on anaircraft, a tag microcontroller to coordinate operation between the tagsensor, the tag memory, and the tag radio, and a tag power source toprovide power to the tag sensor, the tag memory, the tag radio, and thetag microcontroller; a master unit being shipped with at least the tag,wherein the master unit comprises: a master unit sensor to sense atleast one shipping parameter during the shipping journey and to generatemaster unit shipping data at least for a portion of the shippingjourney, a master unit memory in communication with the master unitsensor to store the master unit shipping information and also to storetag shipping information received from the tag, a master unit radio incommunication with the master unit memory to communicate with the tagand also to receive the tag shipping data from the tag and provide thetag shipping information to the master unit memory, wherein master radiowireless communication is disabled when the at least one item isdisposed on an aircraft, a master unit microcontroller to coordinateoperation between the master unit sensor, the master unit memory, andthe master unit radio, a master unit communication modem to transmitmaster unit shipping data and tag shipping data, and a master unit powersource to provide power to the master unit sensor, the master unitmemory, the master unit radio, the master unit microcontroller, and themaster unit communication modem; a transportation vehicle fortransporting the at least one item during the shipping journey from thepoint of origin to the destination; means for automatically placing themaster unit and tags in a deactivated state based upon placement of theat least one item on board the transportation vehicle; a system thatdetermines a location of the transportation vehicle when the master unitand tags are in the deactivated state; and a central processor thatreceives shipping data from the master unit, determines at least one ofa condition or location of the at least one item at one or morepredetermined points during the shipping journey and receives trackinginformation via the location determining system rather than searchingfor signals from the master unit when the master unit and tags are inthe deactivated state.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein: the tagcomprises a plurality of tags, each of which are associated with the atleast one item during the shipping journey.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the tag sensor includes at least a humidity sensor, atemperature sensor, a shock sensor, and an accelerometer.
 4. The systemof claim 1, wherein the master unit sensor includes at least a humiditysensor, a temperature sensor, and an accelerometer.
 5. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the master unit is positioned within a predetermineddistance from the tag so that the tag radio and the master unit radiomay communicate with one another during the shipping journey.
 6. Thesystem of claim 5, wherein the tag radio and the master unit radiooperate at a 2.4 GHz frequency.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein thetag radio communicates with the master unit radio at repetitive temporalintervals.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit radiocommunicates with the central processor at repetitive temporal intervalsto communicate shipping data.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein receiptof shipping data from the master unit to the central processor isdisabled when the master unit is on board the transportation vehicle.10. The system of claim 9, wherein the tag radio and the master unitradio are re-enabled when the tag accelerometer and the master unitaccelerometer detect a deceleration indicative of a complete stop of thetransportation vehicle.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the masterunit communication modem permits communication via at least one of aWiFi modem, a GPRS modem, or a satellite communications modem.
 12. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the master unit further comprises: a GPSmodem for receiving GPS signals and providing GPS data to the masterunit microcontroller.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag radioand the master unit radio communicate via a communication linkcomprising a local transmission link.
 14. The system of claim 13,wherein the local transmission link comprises at least one of a WiFinetwork, a generic wireless local area network (“WLAN”), a local areanetwork (“LAN”), a Bluetooth connection, and a wireless personal areanetwork (“PAN”).
 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unitcommunication modem permits communication via a communication linkcomprising at least one of a wired or wireless link, radio link,electromagnetic link, cellular network link, global positioning system(“GPS”) link, Bluetooth link, personal area network (“PAN”) link, andWiFi link.
 16. The system of claim 11, wherein the master unitmicrocontroller selects one of the WiFi modem, GPRS modem, or satellitecommunications modem based at least on comparative cost therebetween.17. The system of claim 16, wherein the WiFi modem is preferred tocommunication via the GPRS modem, which is, in turn, preferred tocommunication via the satellite.
 18. The system of claim 1, wherein themaster unit communication modem permits communication via at least oneof a WiFi network, a cellular network, or a satellite communicationsnetwork.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the master unitmicrocontroller selects one of the WiFi network, cellular network, orsatellite communications network based at least on a strength of signalavailable for each of the modems.
 20. The system of claim 19, whereinthe master unit microcontroller selects one of the WiFi network,cellular network, or satellite communications network based at least oncomparative cost therebetween.
 21. The system of claim 20, wherein theWiFi network is preferred to communication via the cellular network,which is, in turn, preferred to communication via the satellitecommunications network.
 22. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag unitmemory also stores identifying information comprising at least one ofcontent information, point of origin, destination information, name andcontact information for a shipper, and name and contact information fora recipient.
 23. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag memory alsostores identifying information comprising content information whichincludes invoice information.
 24. The system of claim 23, wherein theinvoice information is accessible for inspection by customs officials.25. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit memory storesidentifying information comprising at least one of content information,point of origin, destination information, name and contact informationfor a shipper, and name and contact information for a recipient.
 26. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the master unit memory stores identifyinginformation comprising content information which includes invoiceinformation.
 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the invoice informationis accessible for inspection by customs officials.
 28. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the master unit memory stores the tag shipping dataand, thereby, acts as a data recorder for the tag.
 29. The system ofclaim 28, wherein the invoice information is accessible for inspectionby customs officials.
 30. The system of claim 1, wherein the system isdesigned to access the location determining system to track the locationof the transportation vehicle.
 31. The system of claim 1, wherein: themaster unit further includes a battery charge circuit for receivingpower from the transportation vehicle.
 32. The system of claim 1,wherein: the tag comprises an alarm that may be triggered when theparcel is removed from a designated area.
 33. A method for tracking atleast one item, comprising: tagging the at least one item with a tag;placing the at least one item with the tag in a transportation vehiclefor transporting the at least one item during a shipping journey from apoint of origin to a destination; measuring at least one shippingparameter by the tag being shipped with the at least one item during theshipping journey; generating tag shipping data based upon the at leastone shipping parameter; wirelessly transmitting the tag shipping datafrom the tag to a master unit being shipped with the at least one item;receiving the tag shipping data from the tag; storing the tag shippingdata in memory of the master unit; measuring the at least one shippingparameter by the master unit; generating master unit shipping data basedupon the at least one shipping parameter; storing the master unitshipping data in the master unit memory; wirelessly transmitting themaster unit shipping data and the tag shipping data to a centralprocessor; automatically placing the master unit and tag in adeactivated state based upon placement of the at least one item on boardthe transportation vehicle; disabling tag radio wireless communicationwhen the at least one item is disposed on the transportation vehicle;disabling master radio wireless communication when the at least one itemis disposed on the transportation vehicle; determining at least one of acondition or a location of the at least one item at one or morepredetermined points during the shipping journey; providing a systemthat determines a location of the transportation vehicle when the masterunit and tags are in the deactivated state; and receiving, by thecentral processor, tracking information via the location determiningsystem rather than searching for signals from the master unit when themaster unit and tags are in the deactivated state.
 34. The method ofclaim 33, further comprising: receiving GPS information by the masterunit; and storing the GPS information as a part of the master unitshipping information.
 35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:disabling communication between the tag and the master unit and betweenthe master unit and the central processor when the at least one item isin a location where the communication is prohibited.
 36. The method ofclaim 34, wherein the tag transmits tag shipping data to the master unitat predetermined temporal intervals.
 37. The method of claim 34, whereinthe master unit transmits master unit shipping information and taginformation to the central processor at predetermined temporalintervals.
 38. The method of claim 35, wherein communication between thetag and the master unit is disabled when the at least one item isdisposed on the transportation vehicle.
 39. The method of claim 35,further comprising: providing notice from the master unit to the centralprocessor that the master unit is on board the transportation vehicleand tracking via the location determining system rather than searchingfor signals from the master unit.
 40. The method of claim 35, furthercomprising: evaluating, by the master unit, a comparative cost between aWiFi signal, a GPRS signal, and a satellite communication signal; and atleast partially based on the comparative cost of the WiFi signal, theGPRS signal, and the satellite communication signal, selecting a WiFichannel, a GPRS channel, or a satellite communication channel with whichto communicate with the central processor.
 41. The method of claim 35,further comprising: providing, via the central processor, at least oneof the tag shipping data and master unit shipping data to a user. 42.The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the tag shipping dataand master unit shipping data are provided to a user in real time. 43.The method of claim 35, further comprising: storing, via at least one ofthe tag memory and the master unit memory, identifying informationcomprising at least one of content information, point of origin,destination information, name and contact information for a shipper, andname and contact information for a recipient.
 44. The method of claim35, further comprising: storing, via the master unit memory, identifyinginformation comprising content information which includes invoiceinformation.